Day 5–Pittsburg, KS to Nevada, MO

I was almost to Hwy 43 N, when Frank appeared in his van. What a guy. In the summer of 2010 he took a 10-day cycling journey on his Surly along the Natchez Trace, and then in 2011 at age 65 rode a double cross (bicycling cross country and back) for multiple sclerosis. I read two articles that had been published about these two rides. The article about the double-cross ends with a Mark Twain quotation that reflects my motivation to get on the bike and to travel and explore each year: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.” I don’t want to be disappointed. Want to do as much as I can while I can.

Only Frank and his wife, Vickie, were on tap this day to run their business: Frank’s Center, Inc.,  specializing in the sale of  billiards equipment. Not wanting to keep him away from his work and not particularly interested in punching into a headwind for the next 26 miles, I not at all reluctantly, climbed into the van and was fast-forwarded to Frank’s house. It’s a good thing no one has donated Memory Miles on these days when I am sagged along part of my route. I would have to give refunds. Just kidding.

 Both Frank’s house and business are enormous buildings (see below). When we got in, I met Vickie, dog Tigger, was shown to my room, showered (hardly necessary), threw in a load of wash, and changed into warm clothes. The temps have dropped 10 degrees since this morning, so it is now in the 40s.

The back of Frank and Vickie’s home. To the left is a large in-ground pool, the changing house, which can just be seen to the right in the photo of Frank’s Center, Inc. below

The exterior of the 10,000 square foot building that houses Frank’s Center, Inc. billiard business.

After all that, I brought my little computer to the office building so that I could get on the Internet and write my blog. It wasn’t even noon! Below is part of the Briscoe’s office space and inventory storage area. Behind this room is an enormous racked warehouse and behind that an apartment. Vickie and Frank were in the office working hard, Miss Kitty, their grey cat, watching intently from the copy machine.

Front room of building where shipping and receiving, retail business is conducted as well as where we ate lunch.

As you can see by the trophy wall, Frank is an avid hunter as well as cyclist. Vicky told me the story of how he got into this business: Frank had applied for but did not get a permit to hunt bear. Vickie’s dad said: “Well you ought to go into the pool business because you can always shoot pool, but you can’t always shoot bear.” And that Frank did . . . go into the pool business that is. 

Before he left to get the three of us Subway sandwiches for lunch (my treat I insisted but Frank would have none of it), Frank told me about what he had planned for the evening.  Coming to dinner were physicians Ted and Candice Moore, beginning cyclists who were going to enjoy a 10-day vacation by riding the length of the Katy Trail, staying in B & B’s and enjoying the wineries and quaint towns along the way. Ted and Candice were bringing the appetizer: Bacon-wrapped venison tenderloin. Also at the table that evening would be Nancy Ross, also a cyclist, whose son and the Briscoe’s son, Shawn, are best friends. Nancy was bringing dessert–strawberry shortcake.

After lunch, Frank printed off my Missouri cue sheets and then spent the remainder of the afternoon preparing tomorrow morning’s breakfast casserole and this evening’s dinner. While doing so, he explained to me once again how to cook Drunken chicken: “Start with a whole chicken, rub it with olive oil and seasonings of choice, and then sit the bird on the grill over an open can of beer. Close the grill lid. The beer steams into the chicken, making it tender and delicious.” I was almost sorry I had chosen his second dinner option of pasta, despite having eaten chicken for dinner each evening but my pizza night.

Below are some pix of our dinner party:

Me, Ted, Frank, Candice and Vickie (Nancy taking the photo). Please note the amount of whipped cream on the shortcake. and I thought that the ride would help me lose weight. If this type of hospitality keeps up, I’ll probably weigh MORE at the end of the ride than I did at the start.

Frank, Nancy, and Candice hamming it up with the many wine bottles that “somehow” appeared on the table

Me posing as a lush behind the wine bottles

If you would like to follow Susan on her journey from the Heartland to Harbor to benefit Hospice check out her blog: